Religious Conversion Can Lead to Loss of SC Status

The Supreme Court has reportedly dismissed a review petition against its March 2026 judgment concerning Scheduled Caste status following religious conversion. Under the existing framework of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, a person belonging to a notified Scheduled Caste community who professes a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism is not treated as a member of a Scheduled Caste for the purposes of the Order. In the case concerned, the court reportedly held that a person who had converted to Christianity could not continue to claim SC status on that basis.

The apex court also reportedly upheld the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s decision in the matter. The judgment indicated that SC status could become applicable again where a person reconverts to Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism, subject to the applicable legal requirements and facts of the individual case. The ruling has once again brought attention to the legal framework governing Scheduled Caste recognition and the impact of religious conversion on eligibility for constitutional benefits.